Justice News

10 Defendants Indicted on Federal Drug Trafficking Charges

Memphis, TN – Ten residents of the greater Memphis area have been indicted for conspiring to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana throughoutWest Tennessee. D. Michael Dunavant, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the indictment today.

On November 2, 2017, a federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment, which remained sealed until the defendants’ arrest. On Tuesday, November 7, 2017, federal, state and local law enforcement agencies participated in an early morning round up. This investigation was conducted in conjunction with prosecutors in Memphis as part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program, which seeks to reduce the availability of drugs by disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, money laundering organizations and related criminal enterprises.

The indictments follow a six-month investigation involving agents of the FBI as well as other federal and state agencies in this joint operation. The defendants have been charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine, more than 5 kilograms of cocaine, and more than 100 kilograms of marijuana. The defendants are:

U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "This indictment and takedown represents another great example of law enforcement working together to remove criminals from the Western District of Tennessee. We will not tolerate illegal drug activity disrupting our daily lives. Each day, we are driven with all due haste to go after those who do not abide by our laws of justice and who distribute poison in our community. We are coming after you. Making our communities safer for our citizens is our priority and mission."

"Illegal drugs are related violence are serious threats to our communities and these arrests demonstrate the importance of cooperation between state, local and federal law enforcement in the Investigation and prosecution of drug trafficking organizations," said Michael T. Gavin, Special Agent in Charge of the Memphis Field Office of the FBI. "The FBI will continue to combat these issues to protect our community from the lethal combination of narcotics and firearms, and to disrupt and dismantle the drug networks that threaten our neighborhoods."

During this investigation, agents seized approximately $345,000 in U.S. currency and 16 pounds of meth. If convicted, the defendants face mandatory minimum sentences of 10 years imprisonment up to life.

The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations ("ICE") investigated this case, along with the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, which includes agents from the Memphis Police Department, Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, Bartlett Police Department, Germantown Police Department, and Desoto County, Mississippi Sheriff’s Department, who also participated in this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jerry Kitchen is prosecuting the case on the government’s behalf.

The charges and allegations in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.